Schoolboy defending for their goal. Unfortunately the screenshot below is the earliest showing the runner and our defence. The ball has already travelled quite a distance. I think it's unlikely Anderson was offside.
Saw on facebook someone asking who's to blame. Egan for playing Anderson onside, or the rest of the defence for being too high up the pitch?
It is part of our tactics that we want to get up the pitch when the opposition's got the ball in their half, so the defence do want to push up. But they must at all times be in control of the space behind them, i.e. if there is a long punt up the pitch it should never send an opponent clear on goal.
On this occasion they clearly aren't in control of the space behind them. Yes there was a couple of Blackpool players jogging back from an offside position, but it is very risky for the defence to gamble on there not being runs from deeper as well.
When they do push up they should also do so in a perfect, straight line, not what we see in the screenshot.
We've conceded quite a few goals in this manner and the players are taking turns in being the one who is deeper than the rest of the defenders. I think the deepest one is the one who'll get singled out for blame (for playing them onside), but most of the time this is the player that is right! So I'll defend Egan on this occasion, but he's also been among those who've pushed up too high several times. He's also the leader at the back and should be making sure they're all doing the right thing at all times.
